1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a throttle body to which is assembled an actuator for opening and closing a throttle valve for autodrive. The term "throttle body" is used herein to designate an automotive part to be assembled between an engine and an intake pipe and including a throttle valve and means for opening and closing the throttle valve and the term "autodrive" is used herein to designate a function of keeping an automobile running at a specified constant speed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various devices have been proposed to achieve autodrive, and an example of such devices is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication NO. 2-92738. The device is shown in FIG. 8, in which relay means 93 is used to permit both autodrive and control through an accelerator pedal.
The relay means 93 is mainly composed of three levers 90, 91, 82, each rotatably mounted on a fixed shaft 92. The intermediate lever 91 is so arranged as to rotate in association with rotation of one of the remaining levers 90 or the other lever 82 in a direction shown by an arrow X.
The one lever 90 is connected through a cable 88 to a lever 87 which is rotated by an autodrive actuator 86. The actuator 86 includes a clutch for performing change-over between a disconnected condition wherein the lever 87 can move independently of the actuator 86 and a connected condition wherein the actuator 86 rotates the lever 87.
The other lever 82 is connected to an accelerator pedal 80 through a cable 81. The intermediate lever 91 is connected to a lever 84 through a cable 83. The lever 84 is operable to open and close a throttle valve 89 through a throttle shaft 85. Rotation of the lever 91 in the direction shown by the arrow X causes the throttle valve 89 to be opened.
The device of this arrangement permits change-over between autodrive and control through the accelerator pedal by means of the clutch.